tlwiki-wikijs/dotfiles/greetd.md

---
title: Greetd
description: 
published: true
date: 2024-03-30T22:57:04.735Z
tags: 
editor: markdown
dateCreated: 2024-03-09T01:26:21.021Z
---

# Kiosk mode

`greetd` is great for running one full-size app started at boot with the help of [`cage`](https://www.hjdskes.nl/projects/cage/). 

> `cage` works quite well with systemd, and its documentation details how to accomplish this task without `greetd` if one wishes to. See: https://github.com/cage-kiosk/cage/wiki/Starting-Cage-on-boot-with-systemd
{.is-info}


### Prerequisites

| Package | Description | Required? |
| -- | -- | -- |
| `cage` | Wayland compositor that forces one full-screen window | Yes |
| `polkit` | System privilege control | Required if not using seatd service |
| `xorg-server-xwayland` | X11 support | No |
{.dense}

## Running a browser tab/window

## Running `bpytop` (or any other terminal program)

[`bpytop`](https://github.com/aristocratos/bpytop) is a great little resource monitor. I have a server with a small display that doesn't do much but show a login screen all day, and I figured why not just have the display run a resource monitor?

> Don't forget to [fix the graphs](/dotfiles/bpytop#fix-the-graphs) {.is-info}

### Tabs {.tabset}
#### Method 1: Direct to the VT

You can launch any program directly to the VT and skip the X server or Wayland compositor nonsense. However, keep in mind that the VT can be pretty limited when it comes to the features we expect from a modern terminal program.

Regardless, here's how to configure `greetd` to do that:

`/etc/greetd/config.toml`:
```toml
[default_session]
command = "bpytop"
user = "thurstylark"
```

#### Method 2: Using `fbterm`

[`fbterm`](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Fbterm) is a **f**rame **b**uffer **term**inal emulator which basically boils down to being a better VT.

`/etc/greetd/config.toml`:
```toml
[default_session]
command = "fbterm -- bpytop"
user = "thurstylark"
```

This should give you more flexibility with font sizing and configuration through `fbterm`'s [configuration file](https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Fbterm#Configuration_file).


#### Method 3: Using `cage` and a graphical terminal emulator

This will be less performant than the other methods, but will afford you many more features. This is the method I actually use for this use-case.

`/etc/greetd/config.toml`:
```toml
[default_session]
command = "cage -s -- alacritty -e bpytop"
user = "thurstylark"

```